Loose TV aerial connection?

[Min]

Hi folks
During the storms last week, I kept losing the TV sound and picture.

At its worst, I was getting 1 second of picture and sound then couple of minutes of nothing but a message saying someting like 'No signal or signal weak from transmitter'. Once the storm was over, normal service was restored . . . mostly.

Then last night again maybe a minute of good transmission, then picture froze but sound good, or both sound and picture dropped out.

I have a new Humax freeview box which has worked fine for a few weeks. The problem is only happening with 'live' TV; catch up TV (via router) is completely fine - no drop outs.

Does that sound like connection to the aerial (so get an aerial engineer out)?

Thanks
Mary

 

[bernardgreen]

During the storms last week, I kept losing the TV sound and picture.

It is possible the wind moved the aerial so that it is no longer aimed precisely at the TV transmitter mast.

 

[pete50]

Yes get an aerial engineer out although if the problem is with your box he wont fix that. But if you know your antenna is okay then your box is under guarantee.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah - the joys of digital. 1 or 0. All or nothing.

In the days of an analogue signal you'd have had minor picture/sound degradation, but you'd still have been able to watch the broadcast.

 

[Min]

Thanks guys. Aerial engineer visiting Tuesday. Will let you know outcome

 

[333rocky333]

Hi folks
During the storms last week, I kept losing the TV sound and picture.

At its worst, I was getting 1 second of picture and sound then couple of minutes of nothing but a message saying someting like 'No signal or signal weak from transmitter'. Once the storm was over, normal service was restored . . . mostly.

Then last night again maybe a minute of good transmission, then picture froze but sound good, or both sound and picture dropped out.

I have a new Humax freeview box which has worked fine for a few weeks. The problem is only happening with 'live' TV; catch up TV (via router) is completely fine - no drop outs.

Does that sound like connection to the aerial (so get an aerial engineer out)?

Thanks
Mary

I used to get that a lot with Sky they called it Blocking and the picture was all little blocks, then all was fine, im now using Freeview, look up at the aerial and see if it points same way as your neighbours, mine was but the bars are hanging off where fat pigeons have sat on them and i think thats messed up my Freeview.
Though recently some channels have been really iffy , something recently was altered round here that apparently affects certain weaker channels, though i dont recall what, but it advised rescanning all channels , have you tried that.

https://www.freeview.co.uk/tvchanges/upcoming-changes#M5rx7tj5LfScLJYa.97

 

[333rocky333]

Also with some Humax boxes, if you pick a channel and go,
Menu-Settings-ok-system-ok-signal detection-ok
you can see the strength and quality of that channel.

I find London Live channel 35 weakest at 67%

Press EXIT to revert back to Tv
Worth doing and noting then you can compare after engineer gone to see if improved.

 

[Min]

Thanks 333rocky333 - excellent info.

Nothing different in the direction of the aerial compared to neighbours'. Only one side fin displaced (and onlt by about 5deg). However the cable for all my neighbours is neatly tied into the vertical pole, mine is completely adrift and moved by the wind. (We all know that feeling.)

Did a re-scan for channels (though doubt that has changed as box only commissioned a few weeks ago). Also checked for software updates - there were none.

On my model Humax Freeview Play HD Recorder FVP-500T, the menu is Freview>Settings>Channel Settings>Signal test.
Signal Strength is
BBC1, BBC2, 5HD: Strength 66% Quality 100% - good picture and sound and no drop outs at the moment
Sky News: Strength 66% Quality 100% - no picture, choppy sound
Racing UK: Strength 66% Quality 100% - good picture and sound and no drop outs at the moment

Useful, as you say, to have comparison for after the engineer's been.

 

[333rocky333]

I get 78% strength on all them channels
When the wires flapping about it could have pulled out a bit so hopefully your engineer will sort it.
Out of interest what strength do you get on London live, mine is down to 55% S, 100% Q now but still watchable, though seems iffy when it gets dark for some reason.

 

[flameport]

Strength 66% Quality 100% - no picture, choppy sound

Those percentages are wrong - both because they are the same for all channels, and that with 100% quality there would be no picture or sound issues.

 

[JohnW2]

Those percentages are wrong - both because they are the same for all channels, and that with 100% quality there would be no picture or sound issues.

I'm not so sure about that - although it obviously depends upon what they mean by 'quality'. Would you have said the same if it had said, say, "Strength 5%, Quality 100%"? If so (i.e. if you think 'quality' refers to 'usability' - which clearly implies an adequate signal strength to be usable), what is the point in reporting signal strength separately?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Min]

333rocky333 London Live Strength varies between 37 and 39%, Q 10% (ten)
flameport BBC2 Strength is now varying between 55% and 66% as I'm typing this. Jumping back to London Live, it is still 37%, so not same for all channels
Currently there are no sound or picture issues. (Now can't find Sky News on the guide since I retuned. Should I be able to see Sky without a satellite dish?)

 

[333rocky333]

yes channel 233 is sky news, i do NOT have a dish either, you dont get the main sky stuff, some sort of legal thing.
Also with my humax box, when you change channels, or press the " i " button, on the display banner at the bottom of screen, you get a orange and green 10 bar scale, I assume that is the same strength and quality display also

 

[john4703]

Yes get an aerial engineer out although if the problem is with your box he wont fix that. But if you know your antenna is okay then your box is under guarantee.

I'm wondering why the advise is to get in an engineer. I would have thought it was perfectly acceptable for a householder to work on an aerial as it is not part of the main wiring. I am probably missing some building regulation or other that prevents him doing it himself.
I put up a new aerial and had my wife watching the TV while I moved the new aerial into the best position, we used our mobile phones to communicate.

 

[flameport]

I would have thought it was perfectly acceptable for a householder to work on an aerial as it is not part of the main wiring.

It is. The householder could work on their 'main wiring' as well if they wanted to.

The OP mentioned getting someone to do it - therefore they may not want to climb onto the roof, or may not have a ladder to reach there.
People have died as a result of attempting to fix their TV aerials.